BONDED by
BIRTHING
I f you are a breeder, you’ve had it happen. You picked up that wiggly puppy to put it back to the nipple and, with- out conscious thought, your hand brought the newborn to your face. You, the modern-day homemaker or corporate CEO, breathed in the soft smell of new life and you were mesmerized. For a moment in time, all was well in the world and your mind untan- gled as you focused on your newborn litter. But did you realize something chemical just happened…?
BY BARBARA (BJ) ANDREWS
OXYTOCIN IS POWERFUL STUFF AND, SUBCONSCIOUSLY, YOUR BRAIN MAY HAVE, JUST NOW, PASSED A SIGNAL TO YOUR HORMONE FACTORY.
Each placenta is loaded with oxytocin, the incredibly pow- erful hormone that prompts a rush of emotion in all mammals. We call it the “bonding” hormone, or in human relations, the “love” hormone. Oxytocin floods the female body during labor and birthing. The hormone stimulates both body and brain in all mammals, cre- ating the bonding response. Man or woman, you will feel not just pride but comfort, peace, and contentment. Oxytocin is powerful stuff and, subconsciously, your brain may have, just now, passed a signal to your hormone factory. So, stay with me as we go back to the newborn pup. For nine weeks that new life has been floating in amniotic fluid, which in all species is loaded with bonding hormones that work two ways… Once delivered, the newborn seeks the nipple by scent and by touch, and the mother imprints on her infant through the same process.
118 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
Powered by FlippingBook